Crack chicken soup is one of my favorite easy and cheesy chicken soup recipes because it’s so addictive! Filled with ingredients like shredded chicken, ranch, bacon, cream cheese, spinach, and a super creamy broth, this soup is the ultimate comfort meal. Quick and delicious, my 30-minute creamy crack chicken soup recipe always gets my family running to the table for dinner.
Top Reader Reviews
Just made this last night and my family ate every last drop!! I made extra too!! I added egg noodles and topped with the soup and it was sooooo good! This was seriously one of my fav new meals I’ve Made!
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This was so good! Even my picky kid enjoyed it! Thank you!
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Creamy Crack Chicken Soup
This one-pot soup recipe has everything I love about crack chicken–ranch, bacon, cream cheese, shredded chicken, garlic–cooked up into a creamy soup, and it’s just so easy to make. With ingredients this mouthwatering on their own, it’s no surprise that the soup is heavenly when they’re all combined!
I always have some leftover chicken in my fridge ready to shred and throw into this easy crack soup. And heavy cream is what makes the broth so silky-smooth. There’s really nothing cozier than this chicken bacon ranch soup recipe!
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Crack Chicken Noodle Soup
You can easily add egg noodles into this crack chicken soup recipe! Simply toss them in dry in Step 4, along with the chicken. They will cook through perfectly.
Crack Chicken Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon (diced*)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (⅛ stick)
- 1 yellow onion (diced)
- 2 ribs celery (diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons ranch seasoning mix (**)
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 cups cooked shredded chicken (***)
- 8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature, cubed)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (plus more for garnish)
- 3 cups chopped baby spinach (****)
- ⅓ cup heavy cream (room temperature*****)
- fresh parsley (optional for garnish)
Instructions
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the diced bacon and cook until crisp. Set aside on a paper towel-lined plate.4 slices bacon
- Add the butter to the pot. Once melted, add the onion and celery. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.1 tablespoon unsalted butter, 1 yellow onion, 2 ribs celery, 2 cloves garlic
- Stir in the chicken broth, ranch seasoning, and pepper. Bring to a simmer.6 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 2 tablespoons ranch seasoning mix, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Add the chicken, and cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes.4 cups cooked shredded chicken
- Stir in the cream cheese and cheddar cheese until melted and smooth.8 ounces cream cheese, 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Add the spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes, until wilted.3 cups chopped baby spinach
- Stir in the cream and cook until warm. Serve and top each bowl with the cooked bacon, shredded cheese, and fresh parsley.⅓ cup heavy cream, fresh parsley
Notes
- I recommend using a Dutch oven, or another large pot with deep sides.
- Let dairy ingredients come to room temperature before beginning, so they mix into the soup properly. If they’re too cold, they may curdle, separate, or become grainy.
- To make crack chicken noodle soup, add egg noodles in Step 4 with the chicken.
- If you don’t have pre-cooked chicken, you can make this crack chicken soup with chicken breasts. Cut boneless, skinless chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces, and stir in 4 cups of chicken in Step 4. Simmer until cooked through, then continue with the recipe.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
How to Make Crack Chicken Soup with Shredded Chicken Step by Step
Cook the Bacon: Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 4 slices of diced bacon and cook until crisp. Then remove from the pot and set aside on a paper towel-lined plate. You can cook the bacon ahead of time and store it in the fridge to speed up the process.
Cook the Aromatics: Add 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter to the same pot. Once melted, add 1 diced yellow onion and 2 diced ribs of celery. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until everything is softened. Then add 2 cloves of minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
Add Ingredients: Next, stir in 6 cups of chicken broth, 2 tablespoons of ranch seasoning mix, and ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
Add the Chicken: Then add 4 cups of cooked shredded chicken. Let it continue to simmer until the chicken is warmed through, about 5 minutes. If making crack chicken noodle soup, add egg noodles here.
Make it Creamy: Stir in 8 ounces (1 brick) of softened and cubed cream cheese, and 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Keep stirring until everything is melted and smooth. Add 3 cups of chopped baby spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes, until wilted. Then stir in ⅓ cup of heavy cream and cook until warm. Make sure the heavy cream is room temp before stirring in, or it will curdle.
Serve: Serve warm and top bowls of creamy crack chicken soup with more cooked bacon, shredded cheese, and fresh parsley.
How to Store and Reheat
Store crack chicken soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring regularly until fully heated through. I recommend adding a splash of heavy cream as the soup warms up to help make it creamy again.
Let this shredded chicken soup cool completely before storing. Pour it into a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Let it thaw before reheating. Keep in mind that because this soup contains cream cheese and heavy cream, the texture may become grainy upon reheating.
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